Atropa

Atropa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Solanales
Family:	Solanaceae
Subfamily:	Solanoideae
Tribe:	Hyoscyameae
Genus:	Atropa L.
Species
Various, see text

Atropa is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. Its best-known member is the Deadly Nightshade (A. belladonna). Its pharmacologically active ingredients include atropine, scopolamine, and hyoscyamine, all tropane alkaloids. The genus is named after Άτροπος (Atropos) of the Three Fates, the one which cut the life thread.

In some older classifications, the Mandrake (Mandragora officinarum) is considered a species of the Atropa genus as Atropa mandragora.

Species

• Atropa acuminata Royle ex Lindl. – Indian Belladonna/Maitbrand
• Atropa baetica Willk. – Andalusian Belladonna/Tabaco Gordo
• Atropa belladonna L. – Belladonna/Deadly Nightshade
• Atropa belladonna ssp. caucasica (Kreyer)Avet. – (N. Caucasus)
• Atropa komarovii Blin.& Shalyt – Turkmenistan Belladonna
• Atropa pallidiflora Schonb.-Tem. – Hyrcan Belladonna ( N. Iran and Afghanistan).